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Erica Schlender reveres this ground, homesteaded by her great-great-grandfather, where he put down roots that continue to anchor her.  She thinks of the effort that each generation of her family poured into this soil near Moundridge, raising crops and children and tending it not just for the moment but for the future. And she thinks about the house she wants to build here and the children she wants to raise here, while continuing the farm for generations. Schlender is reflective of a trend that emerged in the most recent Census of Agriculture in Kansas: a growing number of young farmers and [...]

Erie Market in Erie, Kansas will close by August's end when River Grocery LLC's lease expires, leaving residents without local grocery access. Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com - RSS Results in news/local-news of type article

The Parsons Police Department and the Labette Community College Foundation have partnered to establish the Parsons Police Legacy in Leadership Scholarship, an endowment that will help local students pursue careers in law enforcement, criminal justice, or civic leadership. Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com - RSS Results in news/local-news of type article

Firefighters traded their gear for purrs and whiskers Monday as they teamed up with Pawsprints of the Heartland to help promote cat adoptions. Instead of responding to a fire call, members of the fire department posed with adult cats in need of homes. Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com - RSS Results in news/local-news of type article

Finney County has hired Derek Ramos as its next county administrator after a nationwide search. Ramos is currently the assistant city manager in Garden City and has more than 17 years of experience in government, education, construction management, and financial advising. He also served nearly a decade as dean of facilities management at Garden City Community College. Read more: KSN-TV

Wichita Park & Recreation is finding creative ways to conserve water during ongoing drought conditions. This week, the department announced that its Aquatics, Park Maintenance, and Golf divisions are teaming up to reuse water from Aley and McAfee Pools. Instead of sending the water down the drain, the Park Maintenance team is pumping it out and transporting it to ponds at MacDonald Golf Course. Read more: KSN-TV

Voters will decide this fall whether to approve nearly $28 million in school improvements that would bring all Oakley students under one roof. The $27,995,000 proposal would expand the high school into a single PreK–12 campus and demolish the district’s elementary and middle schools. Julie Crum, USD 274 Superintendent, said the work is badly needed. Read more: KSN-TV

An opening date has been set for the new gambling and entertainment center that will occupy the former Wichita Greyhound Park. The property, initially known as the Golden Circle historic horse racing facility, is now being called Gilley's and is scheduled to open on Dec. 15. Developed by Wichita businessman Phil Ruffin, the facility will feature approximately 1,000 historic horse racing machines. Read more: KSN-TV

Construction begins on a key Pittsburg waste treatment facility set to bring the old building up to code. Experts say these kinds of facilities take sewage from homes and businesses and remove the harmful chemicals found in them like nitrogen and phosphorus and then pump the water back out into the environment, strengthening local ecosystems and making the water consumable for the citizens of the community. Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Ashland and Bucklin nearly missed the kickoff for the 2025 football season, if not for a few last-minute changes. The schools realized, after declaring themselves as eight-man teams to the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) two years ago, that they didn't have the athletes to fill their rosters. The Friday night lights for these towns will look different this year, since the solution to their problem incurred some penalties. Read more: KSN-TV